No one-size-fits-all recipes
Every organisation has its own context, history and constraints.
How we work
How Magnetic Fields works
Understand. Experiment. Learn.
For us, change does not begin with a ready-made solution. It begins with carefully understanding the concern, making relevant influencing factors visible, and developing a first manageable step.
How we work
- Understand the concern We clarify what has stalled, what has already been tried, and which questions actually need to be answered.
- Make influencing factors visible We look at expectations, dependencies, risks, routines and conflicting interests, including those not visible in process charts or organisational charts.
- Develop a hypothesis Based on these observations, we formulate a testable assumption about what kind of change could make a meaningful difference.
- Test on a small scale The hypothesis is tested in a clearly scoped real-world setting. The first step stays transparent and reversible.
- Learn and decide what comes next Together we review what worked, what was unexpected and what needs adjusting. Only then do we decide on the next step.
Not a master plan that promises certainty, but a transparent path from the first question to the next well-grounded decision.
Our perspective
Understand first. Then change.
Organisations are not machines. They are made up of people, relationships, experience, expectations and decisions.
- Which influencing factors shape the situation?
- Which assumptions are treated as self-evident?
- Which risks are being overlooked?
- Which interdependencies are not yet well understood?
That is why we do not see consulting as delivering ready-made answers, but as thinking together about better questions.
Not always visible. Clearly felt.
- Trust
- Responsibility
- Power
- Routines
- Priorities
- Risks
- Dependencies
- Culture
These influencing factors are not always immediately visible, yet they shape decisions, collaboration and the likelihood of success.
Magnetic Fields helps make these influences and interdependencies visible and discussable.
Our view of people
Change begins with trust.
- People do not reject change as a matter of principle.
- They react to uncertainty, poor past experiences and unclear expectations.
- Participation does not mean every decision must be made collectively.
- Transparency creates the basis for trust and learning.
- Insights should improve the system, not judge individuals.
For us, change does not begin with persuasion, but with a transparent, shared experiment.
From knowledge to learning
Models are tools. Not truths.
- Theories provide orientation.
- Methods structure the process.
- Models make interdependencies easier to understand.
- No method can replace an organisation’s specific reality.
- Assumptions must be tested and revised when needed.
We develop hypotheses, test them under real conditions, and adapt our understanding in line with what we learn.
Consulting · Lab · Institute
Three fields. One shared learning cycle.
Consulting helps clarify concerns and develop hypotheses. In the Lab, hypotheses are tested under real conditions. The Institute reflects on and structures the resulting insights. The Magnetic Fields Cycle is not a rigid phase model. Depending on the concern, entry can begin at different points.
- Bereich
Consulting
Fragen verstehen und Hypothesen formulieren.
- Bereich
Lab
Hypothesen unter realen Bedingungen erproben.
- Bereich
Institute
Erkenntnisse reflektieren, strukturieren und weitergeben.
Erkenntnisse fließen zurück ins Consulting ↗
How the three fields work together
See how Consulting, Lab and Institute interact as one shared learning cycle on Consulting, Lab and Institute at a glance.
Who is behind Magnetic Fields
Magnetic Fields was founded by Peter Bongers. His work combines more than twenty years of experience in projects, programmes, consulting, training and leadership with a systems perspective on organisations and change.
Three guiding principles
No change without trust
Transparency and participation are prerequisites for sustainable development.
No big plan without small insights
Manageable experiments create a better basis for decision-making.
What would be a sensible first step?
The concern may not yet be fully described. There may already be several ideas on the table. An initial conversation helps structure the situation and clarify which question should be addressed first.